Truck bolster for model railways



Dec. 1, 1936. M BOYD 2,062,965

TRUCK BOLSTER FOR MODEL RAILWAYS Filed Feb. 10, 1936 Patented Dec. 1, 1936 TRUCK BOLSTER FOR MODEL RAILWAYS Kenneth M. Boyd, Chicago, 111., assignor, by

mesne assignments, to Scale-Models, Inc., Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application February 10, 1936, Serial No. 63,203

6 Claims.

This invention relates to the construction of models to scale of railway car trucks and the like.

In the profession of producing miniature or model railway equipment, the fidelity with which the exterior appearance of the full sized structure can be reproduced is highly important. In the connection of the parts, such as the truck frames and bolsters, the size of the models practically prohibits fastening of the parts in the same manner as they are fastened in the original or full sized rolling stock. Furthermore, if so constructed, the models would make parts prohibitive as to cost for the average model builder.

The purpose of the present invention is to provide a novel construction of truck bolster and side frame assembly for railway car trucks and the like wherein the requisite play of each side frame with respect to its bolster may be had with the exterior of the side frames and the exterior of the bolster free of screws or rivet heads which would interfere with the formation of imitation journal boxes, spring supports, and the like. Thus with a truck frame assembly such 25, as will be hereinafter described, the end frames and truck bolsters may be cast in such a form as to show on the exterior or exposed portions thereof a true fidelity of appearance except that it is in miniature of any desired full sized railway structure.

Furthermore, the invention contemplates a structure of this character wherein the end frames are securely held to the bolster against endwise movement and at the same time are given freedom for pivotal movement about the axis of the bolster which permits adjustment of the car wheels to unevenness of track.

Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the following description progresses, reference being had to the accompanying drawing wherein- Fig. 1 is a plan view of a model truck assembly for railway cars;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a. sectional view taken on the line 33 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the truck assembly.

Referring now to the drawing in which a preferred embodiment of the invention is shown, reference characters 5 and i5 designate a pair of end frames which are connected together at the center by a bolster 1. The end frames 5 and 6 are provided with suitable recesses at their wheel shafts are journalled, and a bolster to which a car body, such as indicated at H in Fig. 2 in the dotted lines, may be supported.

To produce an appearance of the end frames 5 and t that will resemble the full sized.- truck end frame, the outline of miniature journal boxes and other parts of the end frames must be cast in the end frame. The end frames must be free to adjust themselves somewhat independently of each other to accommodate for unevenness in track or surface over which the model is to move. Also, the end frames must be held to a limited movement toward and away from each other in order to maintain the car wheel shafts in their hearings.

in order to provide the features hereinbefore mentioned in a truck assembly, the present invention includes a novel means of connecting the bolster l with the end frames 5 and 6. The bolster l is cast into the desired shape and is provided with a suitable central opening at I2 for the reception of a king pin whereby the car body H can be secured in place. The bolster I is cast of soft metal such as the ordinary white metal used for die casting, and in the opposite ends of the bolster pin sockets I3 and M are drilled to receive a pair of hard metal drive pins l5 and E6. The pins l5 and I6 are slightly larger in diameter than the original bore of the sockets l3 and M so that they may be driven into the soft metal and thereby rigidly held in place. Each drive pin has an enlarged round head ll.

On the end frame 5 on the surface facing inward, there is provided a projecting flange l8, and, on the end frame 6, there is provided a similar projecting flange IS. The two flanges are formed to provide annular sockets 20 and 21 to receive the round heads ll of the drive pins I5 and I6 and provide a bearing in which the round heads I! may turn. It will be noted that the round heads ll of the drive pins are spaced a substantial distance from the ends of the bolster.

The final act of assembly which permanently connects the bolster l with the end frames 5 and 6 consists in driving suitable escutcheon pins 22 and 23 down through spaced openings provided in each of the flanges l8 and I9 and on opposite sides of each of the pins 15 and I6 so as to secure the round heads I! in the sockets 20 and 2|. 5

The openings for the pins 22 and 23 are close enough together to prevent withdrawal of the head [1. When assembled in this fashion, the truck bolster l ties the end frames 5 and 6 together without making it necessary to show any rivet or screw heads on the exterior of the device, the only securing elements Visible being the pins 22 and 23. These small escutcheon pins show only at the tops of the flanges l8 and I9 and, therefore, do not detract from the appearance of the truck as a whole.

While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been shown and described, it is obvious that the design and appearance of the bolster and end frames may be varied to permit free range in the imitation of full sized railway equipment without departing from the present invention. Changes, therefore, in the construction and arrangement of parts may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as disclosed in the appended claims in which it is the intention to claim all novelty inherent in the invention as broadly as possible in view of the prior art.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A truck assembly for use in constructing to scale models of railway cars and the like, having in combination, side frames, axles mounted in said frames, car wheels on said axles, a bolster casting of soft metal for connecting said side frames, and means pivotally securing said bolster to said side frames, said means comprising headed members projecting from the ends of said bolster, seats for said headed members on the inner faces of said side frames, and securing pin means in the side frames straddling the headed members.

2. A bolster'for use in constructing to scale models of railway cars and the like, comprising a bolster body casting of soft metal, said casting having pin sockets in the ends thereof, and trunnion end members for said bolster adapted to mount side frames to the bolster, said end members each comprising a drive pin of hard metal driven into the pin socket of said bolster, and having means thereon for connection to a side frame.

3. A truck assembly for use in constructing to scale models of railway cars and the like, having in combination, side frames, axles mounted in said frames, car wheels on said axles, a bolster casting of soft metal for connecting said side frames, and means pivotally securing said bolster to said side frames, said means comprising headed members projecting from the ends of said bolster, seats for said headed members on the inner faces of said side frames, and securing pin means in the side frames straddling the headed members, said headed members comprising hard metal pins mounted in the ends of said bolster.

4. A truck assembly for use in constructing model railway cars and the like comprising, a bolster with a trunnion at each end, truck frames having sockets receiving said trunnions, retaining means passing through the walls of said sockets at right angles to the axes of said trunnions, said retaining means having portions bearing upon the trunnions and securing the trunnions for rotation in said sockets.

5. A truck assembly for use in constructing model railway cars and the like comprising, a bolster with a) trunnion at each end, truck frames having sockets receiving said trunnions, retaining means passing through the walls of said sockets and securing the trunnions for rotation in said sockets, said trunnions having large circular heads thereon, and said retaining means comprising pins passing between the trunnion heads and the bolster ends and spaced apart a distance substantially less than the diameter of said heads.

6. A truck frame for use in constructing model railway cars and the like, said' frame having bearings for wheel shafts at its ends, said frame having a bolster mounting socket between the bearings, and locking pins passing through the walls of said socket to lock a trunnion head therein.

KENNETH M. BOYD. 

